Communion table



may 25, i925.

W. P. MADDOCK COMMUNION TABLE Filed ook. 22, 1923 @@@QQQQ @@@QQQQ Patented May 26, 1925.

" Unirse ,STATES WALTER P. MADDOCK, 0F ROHESTR, NEW YORK;

COMMUNION TABLE.'

Application filed October 22,1923. Serial No. 669,995.

To al?, (whom t ma?! cof/noem;

Be it'linown that l, l/VALTER l. Mann/aon., a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State ofv New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Communion Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a communion table, and has for its purpose to provide a portable structure that can be readily positioned in proper relation behind an altar rail and removed therefromV when not in use.A

More particularly, the invention has for its purpose to afford a construction thatI can be detachably mounted upon an altar rail, and which is of light weight and so constructed as to malte it easy to carry around.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure that can be collapsed or folded when not in use, so as to provide a closed cabinet for carrying communion glasses, and which will protect them against breakage.

Still a further purpose of the invention is to afford a communion table that occupies a minimum space, making it possible to serve a large number of people in a minimum space of time.

in additional purpose of the improvement is to arrange the parts in such fashion as to protect the unemptied communion glasses against contamination, and to prevent the used or empty glasses from breaking, or coming in contact with the unemptied glasses.

To these and other ends, the invention comprises the structurel that will appear clearly from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features beingl pointed out in the claims following the description,

In the drawings:

Figure lis a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing it in operative position mounted on the altar rail;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken centrally of the table, and illustrating the position of unemptied glasses, ready for communion service;

Figure 3 `is a similar view showing the position of the glasses after being emptied, and returned by the communicant, while Figure lis a sectional view showing the table folded and housing the glasses.

Ilhe structure comprises a pair of glassholding sections, one arranged above and at the rear of the other when in use, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The lower glass-holding section comprises a base l and a rear wall 2, while the upper glass-holding section comprises a base 3 and rear wall 4, the Vupper section being hinged at the top of ythe rear wall 2 of the lower section.

Each of the glass-holding sections is provided with a series of apertures 5 which may be provided with resilient pads 6, affording pockets for the glasses 7, while 8 designates a tray or dish that is located at the center of the upper glass-holding section, and is adapted to contain the bread used in the communion service.

lVhen the table is positioned and prepared. for communion service, the upper glass-holding section contains glasses filled with wine, the communicants standing in front of the altar rail as usual. that a series of communion tables of the type described will be arranged about the altar rail, each accommodating about three persons in front thereof, and as each communicant approaches the altar rail, he takes a glass from the upper section. After he has emptied the glass, he places it in the lower glass-holdingsection, as in Figure 3. Thus the communicants always reach over the empty glasses to take 'hold of an unemptied glass, or to reach the bread tray, and the danger of contamination of the unemptied glasses is thus reduced to a. minimum.

When the table is not in use, it is desirable that it be readily removed and stored away with the glasses, and to accomplish this in a convenient way, l arrange the glass-holding sections of the table so that they can be folded or positioned to provide a closed cabinet. This is preferably accomplished by hinging the upper section on the lower section, as indicated at 9, as already described, making it possible to'fold the upper section forwardly, as in Figure fl, where it is superposed on the lower section with its rear wall l at the front of the lower section. This affords a complete housing for the glasses It will be understood and holds them firmly so as to permit carrying the entire structure without likelihood of breaking the glasses.

The table may be detachaloly secured to the altar rail in any convenient way. I have illustrated one method of accomplishing this comprising rods 10, which are pivoted to the bottom section and normally occupy a position endwise thereof, as shown in Figure 4,

u when the table is not in use.

p When it is to be attached to the altar rail, the rods l0 are swung outwardly, as in Figure l, and engaged with suitable clips or brackets 11 on the altar rail. i

The table may be attached to the rail in a variety of ways, and while I have disclosed the idea of detachably mounting it on the rail as a preferred way of carrying out the invention, my improvement might be carried out in other ways, as for instance by embodying it in a structure to be supported on the floor behind the altar rail. The important feature oiA my invention resides in the arrangement of a plurality of glass-holding sections, one behind and above the other, also in the provision for folding or assem 'bling said sections when not in use so as to house and protect the glasses. Other 'modications of the construction shown may be workedout without departing from the fundamental features of my improvement, and

vthis application is intended to cover any such changes as may come within the intent of my invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

A portable communion table including a glass holding section comprising base and rear walls with glass holding pockets in its base, a second glass holding section hinged to said rear Wall and comprising base and rear walls with glass holding pockets in the last mentioned base, the second glass holding section when open occupying a position at the top of the rst mentioned rear wall and extending rearwardly from the irst mentioned glass holding section and when closed occupying an inverted position over the first named glass holding section with its rear Wall at the front of the latter, thereby forming a closed cabinet for the glasses..

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WALTER P. MADDOCK; 

